I really fear for Phil's irony gland on this one

[Sticks]

You really could not make this stuff up

From Wales Online

TWO psychics have been given thousands of pounds of taxpayers’ cash to help grieving relatives contact the dead.

Paul and Deborah Rees were handed £4,500 through a businesses start-up scheme.

The couple, who have two children, claimed the “fantastic” boost would help them develop the Accolade Academy of Psychic and Mediumistic Studies from their home in North Cornelly, near Porthcawl.

Paul said: “Without the injection we wouldn’t be able to do this.”

I wonder if we should keep this from Phil as I would hate for him to pop yet another irony gland

[NEOWatcher]

You really could not make this stuff up...

On the one hand, my gut is telling me it is totally absurd.

On the other hand (well, maybe just the pinkie finger), if there is no actual claims of contact other than the emotional contact. Then it might be legitimate as an entertainment or "someone to talk to" type of business (provided that is made very clear).

I wonder if part of the proof they could succeed included a risk assesment of being sued or shut down for fraud.

But; this part made me think...

Asked how other would-be entrepreneurs denied cash would feel, he said: “Everybody is going to feel that about industry. If someone is a plumber and an electrician has a grant, the plumber’s going to say ‘I should have had that’.”

[in-a-trance]I believe in plumbing, I believe in plumbing, I believe in plumbing, ouwoommmmm[/in-a-trance]

“Our success rate for people leaving our workshops is probably 100%.”

Translation: we get paid every time.

[ToSeek]

I'm not sure I see the irony - it's just stupid.

[Fazor]

I agree with ToSeek. I wouldn't call it irony (unless you Englishmen have a different definition than I do). But it is stupid.

I want a grant to start a business telling fishermen where the daily hot-spots will be by throwing darts at maps.

"You're in luck! Today's hot spot is in the middle of a field! You won't even need to gas up your boat! That'll be $79.95. Thank you."

[Sticks]

I'm not sure I see the irony - it's just stupid.

Many years ago there was one of those start your own business schemes which had as a condition that they would not make an award if it brought the scheme into disrepute.

For some reason they no longer have that clause by the look of things.

[Buttercup]

Um...who is Phil?

[Nick Theodorakis]

Um...who is Phil?

Phil Plait, the Bad Astronomer.

Nick

[Gillianren]

You know, one of the two guys whose site this is?

[Tucson_Tim]

Um...who is Phil?

Candidate for Best Question of the Year, 2009 on BAUT?

[Buttercup]

Candidate for Best Question of the Year, 2009 on BAUT?

Do I get a prize if the question wins?? I'll make up a prize wish-list.

TWO psychics have been given thousands of pounds of taxpayers’ cash to help grieving relatives contact the dead.

Paul and Deborah Rees were handed £4,500 through a businesses start-up scheme.

That's beyond absurd -- and taxpayers' money especially. Yeah, that busts my irony gland too.

[Frog march]

Sticks is giving us his six cents.

[Fazor]

Sticks is giving us his six cents.

Shouldn't that be his roughly .04 Euros?

[speedfreek]

The UK doesn't use Euros, so lets call it his 5 pence.

[Fazor]

Oh, I thought they were part of all that jazz.

Though I still stand by my conversion, at least solong as Google didn't lie to me.

[nauthiz]

At the rate things are going right now, it will be 3 pence tomorrow.

[AGN Fuel]

"Our success rate for people leaving our workshops is probably 100%"

A good front door and an 'exit' sign will have contributed significantly to this goal.

(I love the 'probably'. Does that mean that there still might be a couple of folk wandering around trying to find their way out?)

[Scamp]

Um...who is Phil?

Some say he's a rouge comet that's lost it's way.
Others that he's a google data cluster that somehow achieved sentience

All that we know is that he's called The Phil.

[Tucson_Tim]

Some say he's a rouge comet

Or a blue one. Or maybe a white one.

[Van Rijn]

From the article:

He said: “What I would say to people who feel their tax money has been wasted is, if they lose a child, if they lose a mother or father, then they will go to a medium to get peace that their child has passed safely and is in a better place.

Riiight. Everyone is going to go to a "medium" that, of course, knows their child has "passed safely [how does that work exactly?] and is in a better place."

“People who have lost mums and dads or a child deserve all the respect in the world in their grieving and deserve a medium who can give them respect.

Because, naturally, nobody but a medium can give a grieving person respect.

“Our job is to provide substantial evidence to bring ease to people’s grieving – and that’s what I would say to people who query the mere £4,500.”

Oooh! Evidence sounds good. I'm sure they provide lots of evidence.

Uh, huh. I think I'm feeling ironic. Sticks, I see why you'd be concerned about Phil.

[Scamp]

Or a blue one. Or maybe a white one.

It took me a bit to get that one.

My bad. Doh!

[Tucson_Tim]

It took me a bit to get that one.

My bad. Doh!

Don't worry. Everyone knows what you meant and you are correct about Phil.